Abhishek has been home for his summer break, after his first year at Columbia. One of the common activities we do at home is OTT watching. So, there is a constant need to find new content interesting enough for both of us. This summer, we watched a few of the Harlan Coben series on Netflix, but they became a bit repetitive with the broad storyline. Presumed Innocent on Apple TV was another good one, but the ending was a mess – they should have stuck with the one in the book and film.
And so it was that my hunt for exciting content landed us with Apple TV’s Ted Lasso. I was searching for something which has right for both of us, had won awards, and was much-watched (“social proof”). Ted Lasso seemed to fit the bill well. We started with the first and were booked. We binge-watched 3-4 a day and wrapped up the 34 episodes from 3 seasons in just a couple weeks.
What I liked about the series was the combination of Ted Lasso’s character and attitude to life, the sports setting (bringing in the highs and lows of winning and losing), and the exploration of relationships. Season 1 had novelty, Season 2 had a bit of sameness, and Season 3 brought in more variety as some characters wandered wider. Every time one felt a little bored, Ted Lasso’s talk brought the moments alive. I especially liked the way he came up with the “Total Football” innovation. Facing failure, he knew he had to do something different – he had to be entrepreneurial. It is a situation I have faced many times in life. There are times when one has to face up to the facts, and then create winning paths out of difficult situations. One never knows the outcomes – all one can do is to try. After all, the downside cannot be worse than what’s already happening.
What Lasso brings is joie de vivre – delight in simply living one’s life. It is a philosophy that resonates with me. There are plenty of ups and downs – more downs than ups for entrepreneurs. During all this time, one has to keep smiling and motivating oneself and others around. An entrepreneur is like a coach – only as good as the rest of the team. Watching Ted Lasso turn AFC Richmond into winners reminded me of Lagaan and IndiaWorld. It was one of the first essays I had written on my blog in 2001. I wrote: “Lagaan is about people. Ordinary, average people, who are going about their lives – like each of us. Who, when the moment demands, do extraordinary deeds. It is about the power of a Team – the muthi (“closed fist”). As a team, they were fighting for the future of tens of thousands of their countrymen against a heartless enemy (the British). They had few resources, and little knowledge of the game of cricket. What they did not lack was fighting and team spirit, and the will to win. They were not playing a game; they were fighting a war.” I closed with the following: “Movies come and go. Ever so often, one movie comes and leaves a mark, an indelible impression – because it succeeds in bringing out something from within us. Something which has been hidden and perhaps long forgotten. Something whose existence which we didn’t even know about. As we go about our lives, we need to be reminded that each of us matters, that each of us has it within us to make a difference.”
Ted Lasso kindles that spirit of fighting, winning, living life to its fullest, not giving up, being happy, and sharing within us. It is the story of how one person can touch and impact many lives. We all have a Ted Lasso within us. We need to set him free.
